First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers (SOC 33-1021) earn a median $93,530 a year ($44.96 an hour) in the United States, with 99,140 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Jersey.
What first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers do
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers directly supervise and coordinate the activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control. They assess the nature and extent of a fire, the condition of the building, danger to adjacent buildings and the status of the water supply to decide what a crew or company needs, and they assign firefighters to strategic locations to aid rescue and make the most of extinguishing agents. They communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates and interagency dispatch centers by two-way radio. They provide emergency medical services as required and perform light to heavy rescue functions. They serve as working leaders of an engine, hand, helicopter or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters, instruct and drill department personnel in firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response and fire prevention, and evaluate the performance of firefighting personnel. They also keep fire suppression equipment ready for use by checking it periodically. Education is varied: 29 percent of respondents report a high school diploma, 24 percent an associate degree and 19 percent a postsecondary certificate. Some workers hold titles such as battalion chief, crew boss, engine captain, deputy fire marshal and district fire management officer.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (29 percent).
Also called: Battalion Chief, Captain, Chief, Crew Boss, Crew Chief.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $25.69 | $34.68 | $44.96 | $57.45 | $67.31 | $46.60 | 99,140 |
| Annual | $53,430 | $72,140 | $93,530 | $119,500 | $140,010 | $96,930 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $50.96 | $61.58 | $64.04 | $77.27 | $79.14 | $65.93 | 2,210 | 0.52 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $105,990 | $128,090 | $133,210 | $160,720 | $164,610 | $137,140 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $42.15 | $50.11 | $63.71 | $70.87 | $76.21 | $61.24 | 4,100 | 0.42 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $87,670 | $104,230 | $132,520 | $147,410 | $158,510 | $127,380 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $38.19 | $49.56 | $62.19 | $71.17 | $77.23 | $59.62 | 3,350 | 0.95 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $79,440 | $103,080 | $129,350 | $148,030 | $160,630 | $124,010 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $38.90 | $48.29 | $61.36 | $81.44 | $98.16 | $72.90 | 8,170 | 0.45 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $80,910 | $100,450 | $127,630 | $169,380 | $204,160 | $151,620 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $54.07 | $55.11 | $60.85 | $64.22 | $71.14 | $60.80 | 380 | 0.54 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $112,460 | $114,620 | $126,560 | $133,570 | $147,960 | $126,450 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $30.06 | $37.08 | $47.38 | $58.70 | $64.16 | $48.52 | 9,540 | 0.96 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $62,520 | $77,120 | $98,560 | $122,090 | $133,450 | $100,920 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $28.97 | $35.75 | $39.28 | $46.29 | $57.02 | $41.03 | 8,660 | 0.62 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $60,260 | $74,350 | $81,710 | $96,290 | $118,590 | $85,340 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $38.90 | $48.29 | $61.36 | $81.44 | $98.16 | $72.90 | 8,170 | 0.45 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $80,910 | $100,450 | $127,630 | $169,380 | $204,160 | $151,620 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $21.54 | $23.79 | $28.64 | $41.10 | $53.26 | $33.42 | 5,050 | 1.02 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $44,800 | $49,490 | $59,560 | $85,480 | $110,790 | $69,510 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $42.15 | $50.11 | $63.71 | $70.87 | $76.21 | $61.24 | 4,100 | 0.42 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $87,670 | $104,230 | $132,520 | $147,410 | $158,510 | $127,380 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | Hourly | $39.62 | $49.28 | $303.94 | $303.94 | $303.94 | $187.72 | 340 | 1.00 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $82,410 | $102,500 | $632,190 | $632,190 | $632,190 | $390,450 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $50.69 | $63.22 | $82.57 | $105.49 | $107.21 | $83.62 | 210 | 0.18 | 0.29 |
| Annual | $105,440 | $131,500 | $171,740 | $219,420 | $222,990 | $173,940 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $49.06 | $57.44 | $81.42 | $81.44 | $100.67 | $83.05 | 2,410 | 0.39 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $102,030 | $119,470 | $169,350 | $169,380 | $209,390 | $172,750 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $45.60 | $51.95 | $77.14 | $83.29 | $94.06 | $68.55 | 700 | 0.65 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $94,840 | $108,050 | $160,450 | $173,250 | $195,630 | $142,580 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $54.28 | $59.49 | $76.71 | $81.63 | $102.83 | $76.14 | 810 | 0.34 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $112,900 | $123,740 | $159,570 | $169,790 | $213,890 | $158,360 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $53.27 | $63.11 | $63.85 | $75.73 | $81.06 | $68.06 | 4,610 | 0.49 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $110,810 | $131,270 | $132,810 | $157,510 | $168,610 | $141,560 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $37.08 | $46.24 | $57.88 | $63.89 | $75.65 | $56.51 | 3,740 | 1.33 | 2.08 |
| Annual | $77,120 | $96,190 | $120,390 | $132,880 | $157,350 | $117,550 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $36.22 | $47.28 | $60.67 | $64.32 | $76.89 | $58.64 | 2,600 | 0.58 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $75,340 | $98,330 | $126,200 | $133,780 | $159,940 | $121,970 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $37.03 | $38.65 | $45.43 | $54.40 | $60.48 | $46.29 | 2,530 | 0.62 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $77,020 | $80,380 | $94,490 | $113,140 | $125,800 | $96,290 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $37.14 | $40.84 | $46.51 | $59.32 | $67.31 | $49.69 | 2,460 | 0.91 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $77,250 | $84,940 | $96,740 | $123,380 | $140,010 | $103,360 | ||||
Top industries employing first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 92.7% of first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers nationally (91,900 jobs) at a median $94,490 a year ($45.43 an hour), followed by Other Support Services (3.2%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (1.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 91,900 | 92.7% | $94,490 | $45.43 |
| Other Support Services NAICS 561900 | 3,150 | 3.2% | $59,080 | $28.41 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 1,890 | 1.9% | $103,570 | $49.79 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 1,570 | 1.6% | $84,700 | $40.72 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services NAICS 621900 | 80 | 0.1% | $46,550 | $22.38 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (99,140). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $78,230 for first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers in May 2021 and $93,530 in May 2025, with employment of 80,890 and 99,140.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $78,230 | $37.61 | 80,890 |
| May 2022 | $80,150 | $38.53 | 84,040 |
| May 2023 | $86,220 | $41.45 | 84,120 |
| May 2024 | $92,430 | $44.44 | 93,680 |
| May 2025 | $93,530 | $44.96 | 99,140 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey profile | $64.04 | $133,210 | $105,990 | $164,610 | 2,210 | 0.52 | 0.81 |
| 2 | New York profile | $63.71 | $132,520 | $87,670 | $158,510 | 4,100 | 0.42 | 0.66 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $62.19 | $129,350 | $79,440 | $160,630 | 3,350 | 0.95 | 1.48 |
| 4 | California profile | $61.36 | $127,630 | $80,910 | $204,160 | 8,170 | 0.45 | 0.70 |
| 5 | District of Columbia profile | $60.85 | $126,560 | $112,460 | $147,960 | 380 | 0.54 | 0.85 |
| 6 | Illinois profile | $59.37 | $123,500 | $73,690 | $153,820 | 3,240 | 0.53 | 0.83 |
| 7 | Maryland profile | $57.95 | $120,530 | $80,460 | $141,870 | 2,380 | 0.86 | 1.35 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $49.32 | $102,580 | $73,320 | $141,390 | 1,900 | 0.66 | 1.04 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania profile | $48.58 | $101,050 | $70,510 | $121,800 | 1,340 | 0.22 | 0.35 |
| 10 | Utah profile | $48.26 | $100,380 | $60,130 | $122,490 | 770 | 0.44 | 0.70 |
| 11 | Oregon profile | $48.20 | $100,260 | $75,350 | $127,660 | 1,160 | 0.59 | 0.93 |
| 12 | Florida profile | $47.38 | $98,560 | $62,520 | $133,450 | 9,540 | 0.96 | 1.51 |
| 13 | Connecticut profile | $47.36 | $98,500 | $83,030 | $125,120 | 1,310 | 0.77 | 1.21 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $47.01 | $97,780 | $59,510 | $124,780 | 3,300 | 0.80 | 1.26 |
| 15 | Massachusetts profile | $46.44 | $96,600 | $75,550 | $140,010 | 3,370 | 0.93 | 1.45 |
| 16 | Arizona profile | $46.38 | $96,470 | $61,540 | $119,620 | 2,670 | 0.82 | 1.29 |
| 17 | Nevada profile | $45.15 | $93,920 | $72,050 | $152,570 | 1,080 | 0.70 | 1.09 |
| 18 | New Hampshire profile | $45.06 | $93,720 | $59,950 | $119,250 | 450 | 0.66 | 1.03 |
| 19 | Alaska profile | $44.60 | $92,760 | $49,250 | $121,640 | 310 | 0.95 | 1.49 |
| 20 | Idaho profile | $44.53 | $92,630 | $49,010 | $129,650 | 520 | 0.61 | 0.96 |
| 21 | Indiana profile | $42.46 | $88,310 | $56,940 | $120,820 | 1,290 | 0.40 | 0.63 |
| 22 | Oklahoma profile | $41.02 | $85,310 | $55,260 | $101,770 | 2,000 | 1.17 | 1.84 |
| 23 | Rhode Island profile | $40.95 | $85,170 | $65,890 | $97,740 | 770 | 1.53 | 2.40 |
| 24 | Ohio profile | $40.62 | $84,490 | $55,340 | $123,630 | 3,960 | 0.71 | 1.12 |
| 25 | Wisconsin profile | $40.05 | $83,310 | $55,060 | $119,230 | 1,330 | 0.45 | 0.71 |
| 26 | Vermont profile | $40.02 | $83,250 | $42,320 | $129,050 | 90 | 0.31 | 0.48 |
| 27 | North Dakota profile | $39.85 | $82,880 | $63,820 | $121,210 | 130 | 0.31 | 0.48 |
| 28 | Montana profile | $39.82 | $82,820 | $64,560 | $107,000 | 320 | 0.62 | 0.98 |
| 29 | Texas profile | $39.28 | $81,710 | $60,260 | $118,590 | 8,660 | 0.62 | 0.97 |
| 30 | Nebraska profile | $38.85 | $80,810 | $66,390 | $101,760 | 370 | 0.36 | 0.57 |
| 31 | Wyoming profile | $38.59 | $80,260 | $61,670 | $120,630 | 150 | 0.55 | 0.86 |
| 32 | Kansas profile | $37.92 | $78,880 | $46,470 | $127,340 | 1,450 | 1.01 | 1.58 |
| 33 | Minnesota profile | $37.89 | $78,800 | $49,150 | $131,450 | 1,120 | 0.38 | 0.59 |
| 34 | Tennessee profile | $37.46 | $77,920 | $45,680 | $100,250 | 2,210 | 0.67 | 1.06 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $37.29 | $77,550 | $49,550 | $104,580 | 1,830 | 0.42 | 0.65 |
| 36 | Iowa profile | $36.54 | $76,010 | $62,490 | $112,140 | 600 | 0.39 | 0.60 |
| 37 | Missouri profile | $36.53 | $75,970 | $45,210 | $125,940 | 1,950 | 0.67 | 1.04 |
| 38 | Maine profile | $35.96 | $74,790 | $50,120 | $98,910 | 410 | 0.65 | 1.01 |
| 39 | Delaware profile | $35.90 | $74,670 | $50,130 | $100,100 | ** | ** | ** |
| 40 | Alabama profile | $35.25 | $73,320 | $43,050 | $114,220 | 1,440 | 0.68 | 1.07 |
| 41 | South Dakota profile | $34.82 | $72,420 | $67,200 | $115,210 | 120 | 0.25 | 0.40 |
| 42 | Georgia profile | $32.31 | $67,200 | $46,400 | $96,750 | 3,730 | 0.76 | 1.20 |
| 43 | South Carolina profile | $31.33 | $65,160 | $44,200 | $100,860 | 1,450 | 0.63 | 0.99 |
| 44 | Arkansas profile | $29.75 | $61,890 | $43,710 | $87,010 | 920 | 0.71 | 1.11 |
| 45 | Kentucky profile | $29.26 | $60,850 | $41,470 | $105,630 | 1,250 | 0.62 | 0.98 |
| 46 | Louisiana profile | $28.73 | $59,750 | $35,730 | $89,000 | 1,810 | 0.94 | 1.47 |
| 47 | North Carolina profile | $28.64 | $59,560 | $44,800 | $110,790 | 5,050 | 1.02 | 1.60 |
| 48 | New Mexico profile | $28.09 | $58,430 | $46,600 | $98,300 | 820 | 0.94 | 1.47 |
| 49 | West Virginia profile | $26.63 | $55,380 | $34,160 | $72,840 | 180 | 0.26 | 0.40 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $23.20 | $48,250 | $35,410 | $72,900 | 1,550 | 1.33 | 2.09 |
Part of Protective Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 33-1021 First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 33-1021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 33-1021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.